Cricket Bat Sizes: Adult & Junior Size Guide (incl. Chart)

Your bat is your trusted partner when you are out in the middle. Choosing the right bat involves a lot of different decisions, but the first thing to get right is the bat size.

Cricket bat sizes can be confusing if you are just starting out, but for adult cricketers, most bats are roughly the same size. Juniors will find it more difficult to find the perfect bat for them. Just like your kids are always growing out of their shoes, they’ll constantly be growing out of their cricket bats, too. Let’s hope they get a big IPL contract one day to repay you for all those junior bats.

Cricket Bat Size Chart

The chart below is a simple overview of bat sizes including the age and height of the batter in question. This is a way to ensure that you don’t end up with a bat that is the wrong size completely.

The age is very much an approximation. The more important measurement is your height. Don’t worry too much, especially when it comes to junior cricket bat sizes. It is more about getting a bat that you’re comfortable using.

cricket bat sizes

SH vs LH Bats

The majority of bats sold are of the “SH” variety. This means they have a short handle, but are known to be full size, suitable for adult batters up to around 6’3” or even 6’4”.

“LH” bats are a good solution for those who need a little extra length. They have about an extra inch within the handle, which can help with grip, but also with the reach of your bat. Bigger cricketers might find that an LH bat is suitable, but they are not essential.

Looking at bats in person might be confusing. One of the things you might find tough to understand when you are looking is that most adult bats are just labeled SH or LH. These are both “adult” sizes.

Some manufacturers have slightly different criteria and recommendations for their bats. Gray Nicholls actually recommend that an LH bat should be used for anyone over 6’ tall. It’s a good idea to have a feel of some bats, and maybe borrow your friends’ bats for a quick knock, just to see what feels most natural to you.

Cricket Bat Weights

As well as a cricket bat size guide, it might be useful to look at cricket bat weights to help make your decision.

Bat Size          Approximate Weight

Junior Bat 3     1lb 13oz – 2lb 1oz

Junior Bat 4     2lb 1oz – 2lb 3oz

Junior Bat 5     2lb 2oz – 2lb 4oz

Junior Bat 6     2lb 3oz – 2lb 5oz

Harrow            lb 5oz – 2lb 7oz

Light SH          2lb 6oz – 2lb 10oz

Medium SH     2lb 10oz – 2lb 12oz

Heavy SH       2’12oz +

Note that “light, heavy, and medium” aren’t different sizes, but you will hear bats described as light, heavy, or medium depending on whether they are a heftier design.

What Are The Rules on Cricket Bat Sizes?

There are some rules within the Laws of Cricket regarding the size of a bat. It must be “no longer than 38 in (965 mm), the width no more than 4.25 in (108 mm), the overall depth no more than 2.64 in (67 mm) and edge no more than 1.56 in (40 mm)”

As long as your bat fits these rules, it’s fine to use.

The origin of the rules is actually very amusing. The “Monster Bat Incident of 1771” saw laws published after a cricketer tried to play in a county game with a bat that was the width of the whole wicket!

Size of The Village Cricket Bat

Our cricket bat, the Village Cricket Bat, was designed to be a fantastic solution for the everyday village cricketer. As such, it is made in the size that the vast majority of adult batsman go for, the SH adult size.

The bat weighs 2lb 9oz, a perfect balance to let you play defensive shots and hit huge sixes with ease. It even comes pre knocked in, so you can head straight to the nets for a practice.


Our cricket bat size guide is a great help if you are looking to buy a bat for a particularly tall (or short) batter, or for juniors who still have some growing to do. In the majority of instances, you will probably want to start with an SH bat. Some manufacturers claim that over 90% of the adult bats they sell are SH, and if you have a “club bat” that is used communally, the chances are that it is this size.

The Village Cricket Bat is SH, and can prove to be a versatile playing partner for the defensive opener, the middle order slogger, or the tailender who is yet to get into double figures!

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